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Crush
Featuring: Jill Valdaar and Sellek Lerenze ----- For most members of the Alliance military as well as those affiliated adventures, the expedition to Northrend was the first time they had ever been to the frozen continent. However, for some certain members, they were returning to a land they had visited once beofre. Unfortunately, for those individuals, Northrend was a land of unpleasant memories, the place where their lives had changed forever. Jill Valdaar and Sellek Lerenze were two such people; both of them had first traveled to Northrend on missions of their own. However, those goals, no matter how noble and lofty they may had seemed at the time, had been twisted and subverted. Both of them had fallen under the control of the Lich King, forsaking their own goals for hollow promises of power. Becoming Death Knights in his service, they had only recently regained their free will - and with it, a desire to exact vengeance for what had happened to them. The pair of them were not the only ones in that situation, however. A large number of Death Knights had left the Scourge at the same time, now serving both the Alliance and the Horde. The pair of them had come into contact with a group of Death Knights who worked directly for the Alliance military, and had joined them. Now they served with them, working to end the threat of the Lich King for all time. Or, as Jill had put it, "We get official sanction and support for our crazed vengeance trip" It was on their business that they had traveled to a desolate region of Northrend known as the Dragonblight. Their commander, a man who's name they didn't know but were expected to implicitly trust anyway, had heard reports of activity on the southern coast of the region, and they were sent to discover what exactly it was. The biggest worry was that it was the Scourge; the Dragonblight would be an ideal location form which to launch an invasion fleet, either to flank the Alliance forces in Borean Tundra, or to launch an attack on the Alliance homelands while their forces were distracted. Flying into the Dragonblight, they'd headed south from the Alliance stronghold at Westguarde, traveling towards the center of the region. Around them the world seemed empty, devoid of life, merely an empty expanse of white. "Hold up a minute" Jill called out, pulling her Deathcharger to a halt. Sellek reared his around, stopping next to her. She dismounted and clambered up a rock, stopping and looking over the empty expanse of ice and snow that was the Dragonblight. From where they were standing, it seemed like the land was empty, completely devoid of any life. Her eyes narrowed, as if searching for something that may be out there, something that may exist in such a desolate land. "Yeah, this was it." "You see something?" Sellek asked as he clambered up next to her, looking out over the terrain. From where he was, he couldn't see any signs of, well, anything. "Naw." She replied with a shrug, then sighed, her breath condensing into fog as soon as it left her mouth. "Not really." "Something wrong, Jill?" "Sorta." She looked around at the desolate arctic wastes. "This is where it happened. This is where the Crusade landed in Northrend the first time... and where I became a Death Knight" Jill remembered. Her family; growing up in Stromguarde; joining the army and fighting against the Trolls that raided the kingdom's outskirts, enjoying the challenges while relishing the chance to serve her nation; being apprenticed to the Silver Hand, and the pride she felt at the appointment; the fall of Lordaeron and the hasty flight across the plagued nation to Tyr's hand; her time with the Scarlet Crusade, the strange mixture of fear and desperation combined with an odd camaraderie, as well as, above all else, the desire to reclaim their lands from the Scourge's taint. She remembered the fleet, setting out from Tyr's harbor, heading north to destroy the Scourge at their home... and what happened then... The Scarlet Crusade's soldiers charged across the open expanse of ice, shouting battlecries, declaring their unbending allegiance to the light and their devotion to the destruction of their foes. Ahead of them, charging back at them, was a wall of darkness and corruption, a veritable legion of the living dead, outnumbering the Scarlet forces by many, many times. Jill Valdaar didn't care about the odds. All she cared about was destroying her foes. She was the instrument of the Light's justice, the blade that would sweep the undead taint from this world. And now was the time to embrace her destiny, here in this desolate, frozen land. As the two lines clashed, she threw herself into the fray, screaming in anger as she struck at the undead armies. She lashed out, running the first Zombie she saw though, tearing the wretched husk in half with her massive blade. No sooner was it down then she struck out again, running through a Ghoul before it could strike. The Light's power flowed through her; she could feel it as she reached out, striking down a Skeleton, blasting the creature apart with its power. Emboldened, she advanced, sweeping her greatsword before her, determined to destroy every last Scourge herself if needs be. Behind and around her, other members of the Crusade joined the battle, using their weapons or their spells to strike down the undead, steel, fire and holy light tearing into the massed ranks of their opponents. They held their ground as the undead tide threatened to wash over them, denting the Scourge's numbers for a moment. "Keep going!" Jill called out; she was no leader, but she felt a desire to rally her fellows none the less, as fi by her very presence or her very command she could ensure their victory. "Desotry them! Cleanse their filth from this world! We are the champions of the Light, and we will strike down our foes!" For a moment, it seemed like they could; the Crusaders foguth onwards, continuing to press the undead line. They not only held their ground, but actually advance, denting the undead forces. "Yes! Drive on! To Icecrown and the Lich King! We will destroy him!" Jill exclaimed as she cut down another Ghoul, pushing onwards. However, around her, the tide of the battle was shifting as more and more Scourge pressed forwards. The advances faltered, then weakened, the Scarlet soldiers holding their ground, then staggering back under the undead waves. "We can do this!" She called out. "We can still hold them! They have form, they have substance - they can be destroyed!" But none of those around her would listen; the few still remaining broke and ran, abandoning their fellows. Those remaining were overwhelmed, consumed, often literally, by the undead horde. 'She realised that she had no choice, and, cursing the witnessed, turned and ran She did not care where she was going, all she knew was that she had to continue her mission; she had to reach Icecrown, she had to destroy the Lich King. Then, and only then, would the Scourge be destroyed. She fled into the frozen wastes, trying to head north, seeking to fulfill her goal by any means possible Hours passed, with no respite. Tired, cold and injured, Jill staggered, then collapsed to her knees. "It can't end like this..." She gasped out, looking around her. "I will destroy the Lich King... I will..." She dug her sword into the ice, trying to prop herself up on it. "I will..." She collapsed again. "I must." "What is it that you want?" A voice spoke, seemingly appearing from all around her and inside her head at the same time. "What is it that you really want?" She looked up, trying to discern the speaker. For a moment, there was nothing around but the bodies of her comrades and the Scourge they had taken with her. She blinked, and a new figure appeared on the horizon; seemingly cloaked in ice and darkness, she couldn't make them out. "Who... what... are you?" She gasped with her failing strength. "I bring you a gift, Jill Valdaar." It replied with a strange, hollow voice. "How... how do you know me?" She gasped back. "I know of you and your cause. I know of your dedication to the path of justice and righteousness. I know that you have become a shining beacon in this dark, corrupt world." She nodded a weak reply. "I am." She managed. "You are weak; injured and near death. You feel that your cause, your Crusade, has failed. Those who you fought alongside are dead or dying, or have been corrupted into the ranks of those enemies that they sought to defeat. Yet you remain defiant, dedicated and driven. You want to continue your crusade, regardless of what has happened." Its voice betrayed no hint of emotion, merely a cold retelling of the facts. "Tell me." It continued. "What is it you really want?" "To destroy the Scourge." She answered, the anger inside her giving her strength. "To deliver the Light's Justice to those undead filth, and to drive them from this world" "I can give you the power you desire" The voice continued. "the power to destroy your enemies, once and for all. I can transform you into the ultimate instrument of justice, one that no force will be able to stand against - living or dead." Her eyes opened in shock, recongising her own deepest desires in the figure's words. "How can you do this?" She asked, trying to stand. "How is this possible? What... what must I do to gain this power?" "Join me, Jill Vladaar." It continued. "Pledge your allegiance to me." It stepped forward, drawing a massive greatsword from within the cloak that seemed to comprise its body. "Take the blade, the weapon that will deliver your justice to this world." She looked over the weapon; a massive blade, it was composed of a dull coloured metal. However, its design was elaborate, bordering on extravagant; it had serrated edges, a wing-like hilt and what seemed almost like an eye carved into it; designs were etched into its blade, along with what looked like dulled runes. Compared to it, her own blade, one she had forged herself, seemed like a child's toy. A part of her mind found its design to be sinister; however, at the same time, it radiated power, the power that she so desired, and now drew her forward. She took the blade Her mind was overwhelmed with power, as something reached out, taking control of it; a new voice spoke to her, one deeper then the first, yet hollow at the same time. "You will is mine. From this day forth, you serve me." The robed figure vanished in a cloud of snow, revealing instead a horrific figure; a massive skeleton, clad in ornate robes, hovering in mid air. Blue-white flames played across its body and through its eyesockets, while chains surrounded its body. "Arise, Jill Valdaar; Death Knight of the Scourge." "Jill?" "Yeah, I'm fine." She replied, a hint of weariness in her voice. "All that crap's behind me. We have a job to do." ----- The southern end of the Dragonblight was far more pleasant then the north. The endless icy plains gave way to rolling hills and forests; the thick snow and scattered light coming through the canopy gave the place a quality that could almost be pleasant, as long as one was not willing to think about the presence of the Scourge. Spotting what looked like a fortified barricade ahead on the road, the pair of them dismounted and headed into the woods, trying to move as silently as they could towards the encampment. As they approached, Jill stopped dead in her tracks. "Oh, this is just crazy." She muttered. "Them, here..." Sellek looked ahead, immediately realising what it was that had caught her attention. Hanging above the barricade was a banner, depicting a stylised letter "L" in red on a white field. Once the symbol of the kingdom of Lordaeron, in those colours, however, it signified the Scarlet Crusade. "That's pretty unexpected." He dryly commented. "Tell me about it." Jill muttered. "Do you think they could be survivors from their first fleet?" "I doubt it." She glanced back at him. "That fleet was pretty well devastated, trust me. Instead, I figure these must be those guys following Abbendis." "Nasty. She's-" Sellek was cut off as a shot rang out, a puff of snow erupting just by him. "Intruders!" A voice called out from behind them. The pair swung around to see a man standing on top of a hill, rifle in hand, the tabard of the Scarlet Crusade clearly visible on his chest. "They've found us!" Sellek called out. "Good. I've been looking forward to a real fight!" Jill replied with a grin. Raiding her arm, she reached out to the rifleman, pulling him through the air to her. As he landed, she swung around with her massive runeblade, slashing at him. Confused and disorientated, he was unable to defend himself; the blade slashed across his chest, slicing him open. As he fell, she turned to face the barricade. A squadron of Scarlet soldiers were charing forth, eager to attack whoever it was who had intruded on their territory. "Its the Scourge!" One of them called out. "Slay them! Cleanse them in the name of the Light" Jill's grin only broadened in response. "I'm no Scourge... but I'm not going to argue either." "I thought you used to be a Crusader." Sellek replied as he readied himself. "Why so eager to fight them?" She charged forwards, leaping at the first soldier she came across, her heavy blade crashing down on his shield. The soldier staggered back, recoiling from the shock, only to be hit with a blast of icy cold from Sellek. Jill's blade tore across him, finishing him off. "Same reason why I fight the Scourge, Sellek." She answered. "Revenge." "Interesting." He lashed out, his sword digging into another soldier's armour, crushing it and tearing into the skin underneath. he let out a cry if pain, staggering back as his arm began to spasam and writhe. Leaving him, Sellek turned to his right, blocking a blow by another soldier. "Any reason? I know they're not nice people, but why revenge?" Jill ran a soldier though, then swung around, slicing at another one. His shield deflected most of the blow, her blade slipping off and sliding downwards, cutting into his thigh. As he staggered back, she raised her blade, noting the smear of blood on the end. "Blood knows blood..." She muttered, grinning as she again gestured outwards with her hand. The soldier screamed, dropping his weapons as he collapsed to his knees, writing in agony. "Sorry, what was that?" "Why revenge." Sellek replied, batting aside a soldier's sword, then lashing out at her. "The Crusade used me just as much as the Scourge did." She stated, striking at the same soldier that Sellek was. "Their leaders lied to us, making us think that we were all alone, the only ones who could save humanity." She drove the blade at the soldier again, crushing her shield. "They fed us on fear, turning us into their own mindless fanatics, ones who couldn't see reason or sense, just a need to destroy all that wasn't like them" Sellek pressed the advantage, swinging at the soldier as she tried to fend off Jill. The blade bit into her side, ripping through her. She let out a sharp scream, then collapsed to the ground, dead or dying. "I see." He simply finished. "Come on." She finished, glancing around at the fallen soldiers. "Let's see what they're up to. These guys can't be the only ones around here." "Agreed. This roadblock was meant to be protecting something. I think its time we find out just what." "Besides." She grinned again as she sheathed her blood-soaked blade. "There may be more fighting." ----- "Okay, I'll admit, I didn't expect this." Jill began as she looked down from the rise the pair of them were standing upon. "I'm... impressed." Sellek admitted. Below them was what could only be described as a fortified town. Heavily guarded by Scarlet soldiers, and with the banner of the Crusade flying from wherever possible, it looked like nothing so much as a direct recreation of the city of Tyr's Hand; as if some unseen force had scooped the town out of Lordaeron and deposited it on the Dragonblight coast. The image was further underscored by the centerpiece of the city, a cathedral that towered over all around it, seemingly identical to the one in the Plaugelands. "They have been busy." He finished. "Very." She added. "Well, its not the Scourge, but I think that this is very important news regardless. Alliance command will definitely want to know that they've got a city full of crazy fanatics potentially camped out on Wintergarde's doorstep. And I know just how crazy Scarlets can be." "Hmm..." Sellek rubbed his beard. "There is something strange about this." "Like what?" Jill asked. "Look up." She did; there were clouds overhead as there had been elsewhere in the Dragonblight, the land seemed to be perpetually overcast, even down by the ocean. However, the clouds over new Hearthglen seemed to be thicker then those over the rest of the Dragonblight. Furthermore, they had a distinct and unquestionable red tint that matched the red roofs of the buildings below. "Yeah, that's weird." She replied. "And freaky too. I think we should get the hell out of here." She glanced around, her eyes narrowing. "As much as I'd like to stay a little longer..." "This information is far more important." Sellek summarized. "Very true." She grudgingly admitted. "Fine, we go." She turned, muttering something under her breath. "You'll probably get more then enough opportunity to get back at them later." He added. "Well that-" She paused. "Hold it." "What's up?" She pointed down the road. A pair of figures - an armoured woman and a robed man - were running back towards them, apparently a patrol that had found the carnage they left behind at the barricade. "They're going to tell their leaders we're here." She stated. "And then we're going to be completely bollocksed." "You you suggest we take them out before they can get back?" "Only way to be sure." She replied, breaking into a run as she headed down the hill. "Jill-" He began, then sighed. "Right." Picking up his blade, he followed her down. He knew that she would be impossible to discourage, but, at the very least, he could at least help her out. ----- Shouting with excitement, Jill leaped off the hill, sweeping her sword overhead as she leaped down at the warrior, aiming to cleave them in half with a single blow. Her opponent, however, was clearly a cut above the average Scarlet soldier such as those she had faced up at the gate. Ready for her, they stepped back, narrowly avoiding her blow. "Good start." She growled then looked up, her eyes widening as she recongised the woman. "Oh crap. Looks like everyone's come here to Northrend, right Jordie?" "Jill." The blonde warrior replied, her single eye narrowing in anger. She had changed since Jill had seen her last; her right eye was gone, covered by a patch. The right side of her face was dominated by a jagged scar that ran down to her jaw, twisting the corner of her mouth into an unsightly grin. These were the legacies of the last time the two had met, when Jill had almost killed her. There was another change, one that seemed even more significant to her eyes. While Jordie still wore the insignia of the Scarlet Crusade, her armour was not the bright red that was the trademark of the organization; rather, it was a somber dull red and grey. "For what you did to me, you will die!" She screamed out, lashing out with her two swords at her former comrade. Jill hastily stepped back, raising her own blade to protect her from the attack. Behind her, the priest stopped, his form shimmering and changing to a shadowy, translucent silhouette of his former self. Raising his hand, he was about to cast towards her, when a blast of icy cold struck him, sending him reeling back. Moments later, Sellek leaped down, interposing himself between her and him. "Thanks for that." She grunted out as she stepped back form another swing. "Could you handle him? Me and her have things to sort out." "Okay." He simply replied. "Just be careful." Jill nodded a reply, then swung back at Jordie. The shorter woman raised her blades, just barely deflecting Jill's attack. "I thought I was done with the Crusade. I thought you were all dead anyway." "By your hand, you foul traitor." She snarled, stabbing forward with one of her blades. Jill barely managed to avoid the blow, ducking to one side. "You and your ilk destroyed us, but we will have our vengeance! We are the Scarlet Onslaught, and we will not be stopped!" "Onslaught?" Jill asked herself. "Whatever." She swung back at Jordie, her blade aiming straight for her opponent's heart. The smaller woman bought her own blades together, blocking her thrust, barely deflecting it away. "We are the pure heart of the Crusade!" Jordie shouted as she batted Jill's sword aside, driving forwards. "We are the chosen of Abbendis and Westwind, those who will drive out the Scourge and crush them!" She swung again at the renegade Death Knight, Jill frantically dodging her blades at they came worryingly close to her head. "And we will not be stopped by the likes of you, impure filth!" "Wait, Westwind?" She shouted out, half of her mind trying to focus on the battle and the other half trying to fogure out what she was saying. Jordei sounded to be completely deranged, spouting impossible things; more insane then the usual Scarlet fanatic. "You mean admiral Baeren Westwind?" "Don't you dare speak the name of our savior, you scum!" She shouted out, driving forward again. Her left blade skidded off Jill's shoulder armour, but the right dug into her arm. Trying not to cry out, she again lashed out at Jordie, slamming her blade with her own Runesword, forcing her back. "But Westwind-" she grunted in pain "-died with the rest of us during the attack on Icecrown. I was there, Jordie. I was a part of his fleet, remember?" "Then it is a miracle of the Light that he was returned to us." Jordie finished. "And now, Death Knight scum, in his name, you will die." ----- It took a split-second to size up the opponent. His flowing robes were no doubt embroidered with considerable magical power, as was Sellek's own saronite plate. And his tall hat was certainly an indicator of great rank, and probably considerable power. Most distinctive was his translucent, shimmering form, as if composed solely of shadows. A faint purple mist steamed off his shoulders and rapidly dispersed. His studies had told him much about Shadow magic; it was tricky and dangerous, and those too weak-minded to handle it often did themselves more harm than good. He flicked the massive runeblade up, raised at his side in one hand. The other outstretched, summoning the deathly cold that had become Sellek's close companion. Even as he sent it at the priest, striking him with a frigid flurry of frost, he saw his gesture matched and felt a gnawing sensation swell within him. The freezing blast was only his opening; to do real damage, he'd need to get in close. He pounded forwards, armoured feet kicking up sods of frozen earth and packed snow. The priest gestured again, linking the pair with a neon blue beam. It clawed at his mind, setting his nerves on fire. He struggled his way through the pain, striding ahead even as the priest commanded him back. With a leap and a swing, the mighty runeblade cut towards his foe. He surged back, the tip passing through insubstantial robes and trailing purple wisps as it passed. Landing, Sellek immediately brought the blade up as he stepped in, runes glowing greedily. It impacted against a transparent bubble of force, summoned at the last moment. He pressed hard against it, muscles straining beneath his heavily layered armour. It yielded slightly, the blade forcing against it's spongy consistency, but neither the edge or the foul magic it carried reached the priest. Safe in his shield, Randolph chanted once more. A blast of pure agony seared into Sellek's mind, staggering him back and leaving him reeling. The feedback invigorated him, strengthening his body and magic even as it ate away at the death night. He swiftly summoned a second spell, strengthening the vampiric grip he had an his foe. Bolstered, confident in victory as the shield held, he let out a braying laugh. "I'm surprised you monsters even feel pain! But I'll use that weakness to tits fullest." He sent another eating beam into the Death Knight, holding him at bay as he carefully backed off. Sellek came to his senses, his world on fire. A lumbering step aside placed a gnarled trunk between the combatants, breaking the link and easing the pain. His mind cleared and engaged once more. I've been trying to fight this through, not think it through. Counteract his arsenal and leave him helpless. He steeled his nerve and sprang into action. Sellek surged out from behind the tree and charged. Once more, his icy blast trade with a devouring curse. The priest followed with the same pain-inducing beam. This time however, Sellek let the deathly cold grip his body. His flesh deafened, his nerves dulled, and the beams' pain washed over him with no effect. He rushed into the face of the onslaught, the blue ray spraying unheafed across his breastplate. Again a leaping swing, this time imbued with avoracious place. Although the priest was barely caught by the blow, the blade's infection caught and he visibly weakened, paling under his shadowy shroud. The priest raised his hand, ready to invoke the protective shield that had saved him the last time. But instead of striking, Sellek reached out his free hand, closing it's fingers on empty air. His foe's throat responded, crushing the invocation into silence. A backhanded swing followed, clumsy with only one hand, but it was enough to draw blood. The blade drank up the crimson stain on it's edges, reinvigorating its wielder. A feeble gesture from the priest drew another icy blast, this one driving onto his head and shocking him into silence. Sellek drew back his onerous blade and held, ready to strike. "I've reversed your advantage, Crusader. Yield, and you may see another day." The priest shook, seemingly falling away from him. His form dispersed further, and Sellek's strike only scattered the shadowy presence into a drift of motes that blew away from him. Sellek cursed out loud. He'd never seen such a spell before, but it seemed a logical extension of his Shadowform - disperse the body entirely, and nothing could harm him. With a sigh, he eased up the icy grip on his body. The pain returned, reduced to a loud ache that seemed to soak his whole body. He turned and started back towards Jill, hoping she had fared better than he had. ----- One hting that had impressed Jill was just how capable a warrior Jordie was; the woman was managing to keep up with her, seemingly untiring and only getting more and more determined as the battle went on. While Jill was already a tried warrior, her abilities were further augmented by the powers she commanded and her own Runeblade; as a Death Knight, she was fare more then human. Conversely, Jordie was simply a warrior, albeit a well-trained and capable one. She had none of the abilities that Jill possessed, and nothing that would equal them. Yet, at the same time, she was managing to hold her own against the Death Knight in battle. She lashed out again, sweeping across with her sword, aiming to end this quickly. Jordie twisted around, the heavy blade instead crashing into one of her armoured shoulderplates. Standing her ground despite the force of the blow, she stabbed at Jill with one of her blades, cutting across her already wounded arm. Trying to suppress a scream if pain, she resumed the attack, trying to regain her momentum. She swung out, her runeblade blocked again by her opponents twin blades. Grunting, she pushed harder, forcing the smaller woman back before driving down, forcing her blades apart. As she tried to recover, Jill swung again, her blade tearing apart the damaged pauldron and biting into the flesh underneath. "Yes!" She cried out. "See how you like the pain now!" Jordie shouted, then lashed out at Jill, her blades driving at the Death Knight. One struck her arm, forcing her to draw back. The other drove in, headed straight for her throat. Jill only barely had time to move, the blade still slicing into her skin, drawing blood. She cried out in pain, trying to keep her footing under the force of the assault. "Yes, you see?" Jordie began, grinning, her scar twisting it into a hideous rictus. "This is the pain you inflicted on me. The least I can do is return it to you, traitor. Before I kill you, I am going to make you suffer as much as I did!" She lashed out again, aiming to finish her opponent off. Swinging her blades, up, she aimed to bring them down, driving them through Jill's skull. Grunting through the pain, Jill desperately swung upwards, trying to do anything that would deflect the inevitable. Jordie had left herself open, focused on the kill, giving her one chance. Her runeblade tore into Jordie's arm, slamming it aside as the blade cleaved through the skin, crushing the bone. She screamed out in pain, staggering back as Jill surged to her feet, blood cascading down her blade. The runes on her blade burned brilliantly as they began to feed, the blood of her enemy being absorbed into the sword and pumped straight into her own body. She could feel herself becoming stronger, her wounds healing as they fed off her opponents blood. Grinning broadly, she struck at Jordie before the warrior had a chance to recover, her sword carving across her leg, again drinking form her opponents blood. Jordie screamed as she fell, but Jill was not finished yet. She struck out once more, the sowed plunging into the warrior's side; crushing armour, flesh and bone. She held it there for a moment before, with a triumphant yell, drawing it back. Screaming out, Jordie collapsed to the ground, clenching her side with her single good arm. "Go on." She gasped. "Finish me off, you monster." Jill raised her sword, aiming to drive it through Jordie's chest. However, she stopped just short of bringing it down. For a moment, she hovered there, her hands trembling. Then, she simply drew the blade back. "No." She stated. "I am not a monster, Jordie. I was, but that is past me. I'm not like you." Instead, she simply turned around and walked away. "Damn you! Damn you to hell!" "That was pretty uncharacteristic of you." Sellek commented as he joined her. "Usually you can't wait to get another taste of enemy blood." "Yeah, well this is different. I used to know her. I just didn't want to end up like her." Sellek seemed like he was about to say something, but paused instead, then finally spoke up. "I didn't think the Crusade had Shadow priests." She shook her head. "Normally no. Their devotion to the Light would make a Shadow priest an anathema to them, just as much as it'd make, well, anything that goes against their philosophy; a Warlock, a Necromancer or, well, a Death Knight. There's definitely something odd going on here... and we definitely need to tell someone about it." ----- Randolph had returned as soon as he knew it was safe; resuming his normal form, he'd used a few healing spells to stablilise Jordie before bringing her back to New Hearthglen. Leaving her in the infirmary, he'd reported to his commanders, doing his best to summaries the situation; a pair of Death Knights had attacked one of their barricades and penetrated their defensive perimeter, getting close to the town itself. Even though they appeared to be free-willed and intelligent, he also knew that there was every chance that their behavior was a trick by the Scourge to confuse them. He'd also passed on a rather odd request from Jordie. Some hours later, Admiral Westwind stepped into the infirmary. Looking around, he spied Jordie in one of the beds, heavily bandaged and being watched over by an Onslaught medic. Dismissing the medic, he sat down next to her, an expression of concern on his lined face. "You wanted to speak to me, my child?" She nodded weakly. "I did" "I heard that you recongised the Death Knight who attacked you today. I would be very interested to hear how you knew them." "Jill - she used to be one of us. Well, one of the Crusade." Jordie managed. "She was a part of the fleet that sailed to Northrend. Your fleet." He furrowed his brow in thought. "I see." "Only, you're alive. And she fell in battle. How did that happen, sir? How did you survive where so many others failed?" "Tell me." He asked as reply. "Brother Poap said that you had fought her once before." "I have. During the fall of Havenshire... I fought her there while defending our homes. It was she who maimed me, sir." "And yet you met again here in Northrend. Only, again, it would appear that she got the better of you." He observed. "How does that make you feel, sister?" "Angry." She gasped out. "I hate her. I hate her for what she did to me. I hate her for betraying us. I hate her for what she has become." "Tell me then." he continued. "What would you do for revenge, soldier?" ----- Category:Stories Category:Articles by Rick R